Charging at places of employ and at park and rides, where suburbanites can park and then take mass transit for the rest of their journeys, are expected to have high utilization rates. Charging facilities at gas stations and suburban retail locations are more likely to be underutilized because they are not central to where people will need to spend a long time to charge, or close to where drivers will be when their vehicle batteries will be sufficiently depleted to warrant a charge. If you live in the suburbs, and go out to shop you’re probably not more than 20 miles from home, so a lengthy charge isn’t required. Also, one of the conveniences of buying an electric car is not having to go to a gas station, and we don’t see PEVs being used for long trips very often during the next few years.A Canadian website is providing much needed information about pevs clean technology

I finished the installation of the "cash & carry" AV EVSE; we now wait for the Leaf to arrive (it is for my wife). The City of Cypress (California) said I was the 3rd person to get a permit for the installation of a EVSE. I believe the two previous installations in Cypress were done by electricians, and in both cases the electrician installed a "line of sight" disconnect switch as part of the installation. This created the misconception in the city engineer that a "line of sight" disconnect switch was required in California. It took a couple of trips to the city engineer, and a lot of discussion of the California electric code, before he agreed that the "line of sight" disconnect switch was not a requirement for this type of Level-2 EVSE.

As I wanted the EVSE to mount in between studs, I removed the drywall and attached 3/4" plywood to bridges between the studs for the Kilowatt-Hour meter, the EVSE, and the cable bracket.

The Watt-Hour meter is an "EZ Read" from Hialeah Meter Company ( http://www.hialeahmeter.com/siphwame.html ). The meter and the socket delivered was less than $50, so I couldn't pass up adding a Watt-Hour meter to the installation.

SolarPowered wrote:It took a couple of trips to the city engineer, and a lot of discussion of the California electric code, before he agreed that the "line of sight" disconnect switch was not a requirement for this type of Level-2 EVSE.

Would you pass along the arguments that won the city engineer over? I also didn't install a LOS disconnect. However, I got the impression from reading the CEC that I needed one...but just didn't want one.

mwalsh wrote:Would you pass along the arguments that won the city engineer over? I also didn't install a LOS disconnect. However, I got the impression from reading the CEC that I needed one...but just didn't want one.

1st Visit: City Engineer, "You need a line-of-sight disconnect." I ask, "Why". City Engineer, "It was needed in the two previous installations of car chargers". I ask, "Is this required by the California Electric Code". City Engineer, "I think so". I ask, "Can you show me the section of the code?" City Engineer, "I'll have to research it."

I go home and do research of my own, as I did not want the trouble/expense/ugliness of a line-of-sight disconnect. I found a document published by Pacific Gas and Electric ( http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pdfs/s ... ev5pt3.pdf ) discussing the Code Requirements for Installing EVSE. In this document they quote the California Electric Code section 625.23 [CEC 625.23]. I print out a copy of this document to take to the City Engineer.

2nd Visit: I show the PG&E document to the City Engineer, and ask him if we both may read CEC 625.23 together. He retrieves the code book form his office, and after we both read the section under EVSE Used in Level 2 Installations; "For EVSE rated at more than 60 amps or more than 150 volts to ground, a means of disconnect must be installed in a readily accessible location and within sight of the electric charging connector." City Engineer, "O.K. it looks like you don't need a line-of-sight disconnect".

I go home and finalize my drawings and make copies for submittal.

3rd Visit: City Engineer, "I re-read the code and you DO need a line-of-sight disconnect." Realizing that this was becoming a minor battle, I chose my words carefully. I said, "Can't we discuss this some more, because when I read the electric code it is clear to me that the line-of-sight disconnect is not required." He then points at my drawing and says, "Look, on your own drawing you show the supply voltage to the charger is 240VAC, which is more than 150 volts; the disconnect is required." I said, "I agree the supply voltage is 240VAC, the supply to my house is 240VAC Line-to-Line; but Edison's transformer that feeds my house is center-tapped (as all modern houses are supplied), and that center-tap is earth-grounded; thus from earth-ground to any wire in my house, the potential is 120VAC. The code says "150 volts to ground", and the car charger is 120 volts to ground." The City Engineer then left to discuss the issue with someone else for about 20 minutes. Upon his return, he agreed that I had interpreted the Code correctly, and he issued the permit.

mwalsh wrote:Would you pass along the arguments that won the city engineer over? I also didn't install a LOS disconnect. However, I got the impression from reading the CEC that I needed one...but just didn't want one.

1st Visit: City Engineer, "You need a line-of-sight disconnect." I ask, "Why". City Engineer, "It was needed in the two previous installations of car chargers". I ask, "Is this required by the California Electric Code". City Engineer, "I think so". I ask, "Can you show me the section of the code?" City Engineer, "I'll have to research it."

I go home and do research of my own, as I did not want the trouble/expense/ugliness of a line-of-sight disconnect. I found a document published by Pacific Gas and Electric ( http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pdfs/s ... ev5pt3.pdf ) discussing the Code Requirements for Installing EVSE. In this document they quote the California Electric Code section 625.23 [CEC 625.23]. I print out a copy of this document to take to the City Engineer.

2nd Visit: I show the PG&E document to the City Engineer, and ask him if we both may read CEC 625.23 together. He retrieves the code book form his office, and after we both read the section under EVSE Used in Level 2 Installations; "For EVSE rated at more than 60 amps or more than 150 volts to ground, a means of disconnect must be installed in a readily accessible location and within sight of the electric charging connector." City Engineer, "O.K. it looks like you don't need a line-of-sight disconnect".

I go home and finalize my drawings and make copies for submittal.

3rd Visit: City Engineer, "I re-read the code and you DO need a line-of-sight disconnect." Realizing that this was becoming a minor battle, I chose my words carefully. I said, "Can't we discuss this some more, because when I read the electric code it is clear to me that the line-of-sight disconnect is not required." He then points at my drawing and says, "Look, on your own drawing you show the supply voltage to the charger is 240VAC, which is more than 150 volts; the disconnect is required." I said, "I agree the supply voltage is 240VAC, the supply to my house is 240VAC Line-to-Line; but Edison's transformer that feeds my house is center-tapped (as all modern houses are supplied), and that center-tap is earth-grounded; thus from earth-ground to any wire in my house, the potential is 120VAC. The code says "150 volts to ground", and the car charger is 120 volts to ground." The City Engineer then left to discuss the issue with someone else for about 20 minutes. Upon his return, he agreed that I had interpreted the Code correctly, and he issued the permit.

I might get in on the EVProject for bay area which means that I wont be needing my AV unit. If anyone is interested in buying it from me PM me. The unit has never been used as I don't have my Leaf yet.